Our experience with the old web site www.gmchess.spb.ru has proved that the 'chess enquiry' service is really useful to all chess friends. Just post your question via the form and you will get an answer by our experts right on the same page.

You may ask anything that refers to our favorite game - theory, history or practice of chess, computer chess programs, chess literature, chess in the web. The service is absolutely free - we just ask you: please consider that any large issue can not be covered in a such express answer.

Ryan:	06/11/2001 10:05am
after d4, d5, c4, dxc4 what should white play? what is your favorite opening for white? black? thanks i think your site is great! You may play whatever you like, but try to play it well. Develop pieces and tace care about their co-ordination. And don't hurry to win back the pawn! For example, Nf3, e3, e4, etc. Now Black's immediate target is d4 - think about c5. Genrikh Chepukaitis
Ryan:	06/11/2001 10:04am
what is black's best opening if white plays e4? d4? This question is beyond common sense. No short answer is possible to it. One thing only: it depends mainly on your character. Genrikh Chepukaitis
Tarik:	06/08/2001 03:29pm
Do you think that we are near the point where computers will regularly beat if not completely dominate human champions? By near, I mean 10-20 years. This time has come already, computers dominate. It's like in the aviation: robot pilots manage better than human ones. Genrikh Chepukaitis
Martin:	06/08/2001 03:28pm
In a recent game, faced with an unfamiliar anti-Sicilian line, I was forced to improvise at the board, and this was the result: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Bc4!? Nf6 5.Nxd4 Nxe4 6.Qh5 e6 7.Bb5+ Bd7 8.Nxe6 Qe7 9.Nc7+ Kd8 10.Nd5 Qe5 11.Qxe5 dxe5 12.Bxd7 Nxd7 13.0-0 and although black's position is structurally sound, white has some initiative due to his freer development and the strong knight on d5. My question is, how could black's play be improved? My opponent, a master, told me after the gamet that the line is unsound for white, but he wouldn't give me any specifics. I have not found this line in any of the standard opening books, nor have I found any line for black which refutes white's play. Obviously it is sound to transpose into a standard line with 5...e6 6. Nc3, but can black punish white for his move order? There is no straight winning method only because of White’s violation from the classic order of moves. By the way, instead of Black’s last move Nxd7 it would be better to play Kxd7. Black stands excellently after Kxd7. Genrikh Chepukaitis
Chris:	05/31/2001 02:18pm
Could someone explain why Black plays ...c5 in the Grunfeld? Such examples are given in Spassky-Fischer Siegen OL 1970 and Polugaevsky-Korchnoi USSR 1960. Also in Smyslov's line for White: 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Bd2. What makes the ...c5 break so powerful and why does White decline taking the pawn? c5 is the fundamental idea of the Gruenfeld Defence. The g7-bishop gains control over the whole diagonal, and the c5-pawn can't be won. This has been known since Gruenfeld's time. Genrikh Chepukaitis
Henrik:	05/31/2001 02:15pm
I have two questions: What ELO did Kasparov have when he was 14? What ELO did you have when you were 14? Kasparov's ELO at 14 was that of a good master, something 2350-2400. However, at that time ELO's were at least 100 points lower than now. Titles are subject to devaluation as well as money. Being GM is quite an ordinary thing now, and 50 years ago there were simply no 'little known' GMs. My own rating was 0 when I was 14. I was shown how to move pieces at 16 only. Genrikh Chepukaitis
Henrik:	05/31/2001 02:15pm
Hi, fantastic website! What do you think is the best answer for black after 6.h4 in the Alekhine-Chatard attack in the French? Thanks for an answer, Henrik 6. h4 is quite a risky move, yet possible. You can apply it if you like to attack and are able to convert your initiative into real advantage. Of course, this line won't suit you if you prefer playing in the positional style. GM A. Lugovoi
Thomas:	05/31/2001 02:14pm
Hi there ! I am 18-years-old-german and i play chess for one year. I have three questions: 1. Do you see a realistic chance to become a GM or an IM at least, beginning playing chess with 18 and 2. How long does it need when i start with 18 ? 3. Are there any GMs or IMs who started playing chess in the age of 20 or even older ? PS: This free service is really nice. It seems to me that the webmasters take care of their members. GO ON LIKE THIS ! The German are clever and persistent people, so you certainly have real chances. However you will need more confidence, will, health and time than those who began earlier. There are GMs who started at 20. Some 3 dozens of more than 700 GMs in the world started playing chess seriously at 16, 20 and even 26. Genrikh Chepukaitis
Eilif:	03/20/2001 12:20pm
Book "Karpov plays Black" is already available. Please check out http://www.gmchess.com/digest/featureart/ As for Kramnik vol. 2 we expect it to be published in April 2001 Stan